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Is your house power-starved? Why the extra juice might be worth the squeeze

Flickering lights can be more than an inconvenience.

Fortunately for those willing to tackle this challenge, upgrading your electrical panel doesn't need to feel like an insurmountable task or a purely sunk cost, but rather an investment in your future home life. Whether it's a jacked-up estimate for your new air conditioning system because of a required panel upgrade, or someone buying your home hitting you with a demand for a big fat closing credit after a marginal inspection report, you will likely face this demon in the future, whether it's on your terms or someone else's. From the energy-limited house to the automated self-sufficient smart home, people are starting to take a more active role in managing and improving the critical infrastructure that runs their everyday lives.

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